


Spreading Your Wings

by UrsineEnchantment



Series: MakotoNiijimaWeek2018 [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akira secretly loves 2 sing and u can pry that hc from my hands, Bonding, Comfort, Dancing and Singing, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Humor, Karaoke, Mild Language, Morgana is absent for once it's a miracle, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, Self-Indulgent, Singing, Teenage Dorks, Teenagers, Weeb song incoming, makotoniijimaweek2018, set a little while after 3rd palace, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 19:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16102034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrsineEnchantment/pseuds/UrsineEnchantment
Summary: Makoto had asked Akira to find new activities for her to experience, but she wasn't expecting this...with effort though, she might be able to break out of her shell!( For #MakotoNiijimaWeek2018! )





	Spreading Your Wings

**Author's Note:**

> I finally finished something for #MakotoNiijimaWeek2018! This was for prompt #2: Broadening Horizons! The fact that we never got to go back to the karaoke restaurant from that one cutscene in the 2nd Palace arc was a crying shame honestly, so I took it upon myself to change that (@Mona if we have time for fishing and baseball we can do karaoke >:c )
> 
> This probably isn't accurate to that one bc I didn't go back to check the cutscene, I just made up my own based on pictures and what I wanted haha.
> 
> Yes I picked That Song to use in this. I have no regrets and the idea of Makoto singing it is very cute to me <3
> 
> This was kind of rushed bc I didn't want to be even later posting than I already am, so I might edit a few bits later once I've had a few days to stop nitpicking this. Hope you all enjoy though! <3

The hustle and bustle of the street and people around her had faded into white noise, her attention entirely focused on the building in front of her. Bright red and white signs were covering the building, and neon sat behind the window, only dimmed due to the daylight still shining down on them. Her eyebrows were furrowed, lips pursed as she tried to comprehend how she had allowed herself to end up here. She glanced up at the culprit, daring to hope that he was only teasing, that he would laugh and shake his head before taking her somewhere else.

"Karaoke? You  _can't_  be serious..."

A mess of fuzzy black down shielded his gaze, but white teeth flashed at her as he shrugged, hands in his uniform pants pockets. "You said you wanted to go outside your comfort zone. Lots of people hang out here."

"W-Well, yes, but...isn't this a bit of a large jump? I'm not sure I'm ready for something so-"

Her escort finally shook the hair out of his face, tilting his head in a way that cleared the glare from his glasses. She'd rarely seen his eyes unmasked, but it was always a little harder to resist when he cast that pleading gaze. "Just come in with me for a few minutes,  _please?_  Look around, at least."

She may never describe him as giving 'puppy-dog eyes', but it was  _definitely_  the look of a pitiful kitten, wide and glimmering, with the hint of a pout on his lips.

"I...alright..." she sighed, dipping her head in a resigned nod.

~~~

When Akira had approached her near the student council room this afternoon, with that thin smile on his lips, she had known he was planning to take her somewhere. The arcade had gone well enough, and while they were still getting to know each other outside of Phantom Thief work, his company was amicable. She had grown at ease enough to trust him, and so when he'd pointedly ignored her questions about their destination, only repeating 'You'll see when we get there.', she had fallen  silent, following him to the train station as soon as she'd locked the council room door.

As they sat on the coveted seat and the train rumbled along, she couldn't help noticing the way her teacher leaned onto his backpack, using it as a pillow against the train's metal sides. "So, where's Morgana? I know he doesn't typically join us, but he's usually still lurking around."

"Ryuji said he was going fishing today, so he asked if he could tag along with him instead. Normally I wouldn't leave those two together without a buffer, but that's actually the one thing they're calm doing."

"Really?" Her eyes were wide as she glanced over. "I have to say, I can't imagine it." That pair had done almost  _nothing_  but squabble since she'd joined up with them. Even when they were battling Shadows, the feline would find a way to get a verbal shot in, or they'd bicker over team placements.

"Yeah. It's total zen for them, so we don't have to worry." Akira stretched, huffing contentedly. It probably was an anticipated break for the poor boy. She probably couldn't tolerate having to babysit Morgana twenty-four-seven.

But then again, she still barely knew the creature. Or Ryuji, or Akira. There seemed to be several facts about their interests and temperaments she was lacking...if they were truly going to be  _friends_  instead of simple colleagues, she would have to make an effort to learn more. It was a fitting reminder of why she'd undertaken this project in the first place.  _I must broaden my horizons, so that I can understand more topics and see things from perspectives other than my own._

Whatever new thing Akira had in store for her today, she was ready. Curiosity nagged at her, and excitement had sent her blood bubbling until she thought she would explode from pent up energy, stuck on this train.  _I'm ready for my new challenge! I can do this!_

~~~

_I can't do this._

She liked to think she didn't cower since unlocking her potential as Queen, but that didn't seem to be enough to stop the doubt from filling her head, hesitating at the door. It was so far outside her comfort zone, and there would be more guests than the arcade, and she really didn't think she could sing, and-

As Akira took the door and began nudging her inside, her thoughts faltered, eyes going wide as she glanced around.

"Where is everybody? I thought you said it was usually full of people."

"Yeah, but..." Reaching to fluff up his hair, he tried to glance away to hide a sheepish grin. "I called ahead before I picked you up and rented it out for an hour."

"One of the booths? But that doesn't explain-"

"The whole place. It's just gonna be us. Oh, and the staff." He seemed proud for a moment, but as her stunned silence continued, his smirk fell. "Sorry, I probably should've asked you first. I thought a surprise might help you more than knowing what to expect, but...maybe that was a bit much."

"No, um...a surprise was actually a good idea, I suppose. But why  _the entire restaurant?_  Isn't that a smidge...excessive?" Granted, she was sure he had some funds stored aside for personal use from their Metaverse endeavours, and she honestly didn't mind. Given how much more work he put into things as their Leader, he deserved extra compensation. But even so, spending it on something like this for  _two people_  seemed like overkill.

"Uh...yeah, it probably is, but...I figured it would be...easier, if there wasn't anyone from school here today..."

He didn't say anything further, but she knew what he'd likely meant. The delinquent and the Council President together at a place like this...if anyone who knew them had seen it, rumors would be flying all over school by the next day. Actually, that was just the lightest outcome. There might have been students who would have recorded footage for laughs to spread around, or harassed them onstage...she surely couldn't have handled direct confrontation like that when she was out of her element, and Akira didn't deserve such treatment.

It wasn't fair, that he couldn't even enjoy recreation like this with his schoolmates, but they couldn't change that. However, they  _could_  make the most of today, at least.

Forcing a hint of a smile onto her lips despite the leftover nerves fluttering in her stomach, she glanced back up at him. "It was a fine choice, Akira. Thank you. I believe I'll have a much easier time if we start with just the two of us."

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Positive. Besides, no one has ever rented out an entire establishment for me before." she chuckled, feeling her cheeks heat up slightly. "That's certainly a new experience in itself."

She seemed to have successfully calmed the rest of Akira's reservations with that comment, and he smiled at her, waving his arm towards the variety of tables and booths. "Sit wherever you want. I'll check in, and then we can start, and maybe grab a bite after?"

As he strode off to talk to the person at the desk, she wandered the seating area. The inside of this place was certainly decorated, walls covered with classy wallpaper and glitsy decorations. There were enough seats for her to easily imagine how packed the room became later at night or after school, and several feet away from the dining section she could see where the thin carpet gave way to glimmering red tile, leading up to a black stage. All sorts of equipment sat up there, and she could also see a large ball of strobe lights spinning up on the ceiling, different colours scattering across the floor.

It was certainly intriguing, but...Looking away from the stage, she was about to turn around when Akira's voice reached her ear.

"It's pretty neat, isn't it?"

"Er, yes, I suppose it is." she murmured, leading the way towards a booth on the left side of the restaurant, close to the wall. Even if she had her entire pick of the area, it felt odd sitting directly in the center of attention. "Although...I must admit, I'm kind of surprised you would want to come here. I mean, I know you're quite a showman in the Metaverse, but you're still usually so quiet..."

"Yeah, but...I actually like singing." His cheeks were growing slightly pinker at the confession, even if his posture was still fairly casual. "I've tried to pop in here a few times before, but Morgana always vetoed it.  _'We don't have time for that, nya! Focus on your training! You can't go out this evening, go to bed, nya nya nyaaa!'_ " His high-pitched, whiny Morgana impression was the most  _childish,_  petty thing she'd ever witnessed, complete with bared teeth and a pawing hand, but that also made it an incredibly amusing display. Try as she might to roll her eyes at his antics, her body betrayed her, shoulders shaking before a few giggles burst past her lips.

Shaking her head, she sighed, sitting down on the plush red seat. "Akira, I understand he's more capable on missions, but he's a cat here!  _How_  do you allow yourself to be bossed around all day? You could pick him up by the neck if you wanted!"

Akira slid into the seat opposite of her, adjusting his glasses as he peered at the stage. "Okay, first of all-" He spoke with great importance, holding up a single finger. "-it's called a  _scruff._  You pick them up by the fat behind it, not the actual neck. Second...he has claws, teeth,  _and_  can kill monsters with a sword. Is that  _really_  a creature you want to argue with?"

She'd been about to laugh again at the image of such a little furball intimidating a nearly-grown teenager, but the slightly haunted look in Akira's eyes before he pushed his fallen glasses back up his nose made her reconsider. That was the gaze of a man who had witnessed and survived some horrific encounters...

Coughing slightly to quell the chuckle in her throat, she sat in silence for a moment, studying her nails. "S-So, er, how does this work? Do we just go up one at a time, or together, or..."

"We can do whatever makes you comfortable." Akira murmured, although she soon noticed his eyes were still being drawn to the area behind her, glancing over the equipment with that familiar glimmer of curiosity.

"Why don't you go first?" she offered, shifting in her seat so that she could observe the stage.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, show me how it's done." she added, smirking at him. "I believe I'll feel less nervous if you break the ice."

Akira didn't need to be told twice. Despite his attempt to maintain his casual facade, she could see the extra spring in his step as he made his way to the stage, flipping through the songs. Once he settled on one, he slicked his hair back and nudged his glasses down to wink at her, holding the microphone up. "Lady, gentleman manning the kitchens, cashier...I see we have a packed house tonight. This one goes out to a  _very_  special friend of mine, the esteemed Makoto Niijima. Enjoy."

She actually forgot her nerves for a moment, too baffled by the cheesy speech he'd just given. Akira never made speeches.  _Honestly..._

As the music started, she had to admit, she was impressed. Although his voice sometimes still dipped too quietly to hear even with the microphone, the rest was fairly close to matching the beat, and he even came off the stage to lean against her booth, grinning at her while he sang.

When it was over, she made sure to clap with what she hoped was an appropriate level of enthusiasm (being the  _only_ human being clapping was still strange), noting the slight bashfulness that came over his demeanor as Akira brought the microphone to her. He was fluffing his hair back into place with the other hand, huffing out a puff of breath as he glanced at the table. "Not too bad?"

"I believe you did quite well. Perhaps you should sing along with Ryuji and Mona next time we're in Mementos!" she added, unable to resist teasing.

"Ha Ha. Well, it's your turn now. Go strut your stuff,  _Madame President~"_  He bowed extravagantly before passing the microphone to her.

_Yes, I suppose it is my turn..._

Licking her lips, she glanced up at him. "Um...would you mind coming onstage with me? I'm not sure how I feel being the only one up there."

"Sure. Come on, it's a whole new view from up there!"

~~~

Akira wasn't wrong about the view. They were now raised above most of the seats, staring out into the rest of the restaurant. It was strange, being singled out like this. Turning away, she scrolled through the songs.

_I don't recognize any of these..._

They must be popular songs from current times then. Admittedly, she'd taken to ignoring most stations after the loss of her father and focusing on her studies, finding herself unable to relate to upbeat songs about crushes and partying. Classical was mostly what she listened to nowadays...

_I have to pick something though. At least the words will be onscreen, I suppose..._

Just before she could tap one at random though, a single title caught her eye.

_I haven't heard that in ages! Ugh, it was the cheesiest earworm..._

Oh, but it had been such  _a pleasant_  time in her life. And given that it was the only one she knew by heart, she felt she had no choice but to click it.

Akira chuckled the minute the music started, leaning against the music player so that he was out of her way. "Ooh, I remember this! A real blast from the past, isn't it? Cute.~"

She had to keep a tight grip on the microphone, knowing her trembling fingers were bound to drop it if she didn't put in the extra effort. The lights flashing around her were a little disorienting, and it was difficult to tear her eyes away to focus on where she was standing on the floor. Once she was sure she wasn't too close to the edge, she turned her attention to the screen, listening to the beat pounding around them as the music started.

_"Ay, iyaiyai..."_  It came out as more of a whine in the back of her throat than the actual sound, her microphone barely picking it up. Even in an empty room, this was nerve-wracking. In fact, the emptiness almost made her even  _more_  self-conscious. What was the point of singing if no one could hear you?

Oh, darn it! Now she'd missed the next few lines in her hesitation, and she scrambled to catch up as her eyes darted back towards the screen. "Uh, j-just to fin-I mean  _someone who is strong!_ " Feeling her face heat up, she stammered through a few more rushing lines, but finally let the arm with the microphone drop down to her side, brushing the hair back behind her ear with her free hand. "I'm sorry, I-I just...I haven't sung since I was a child, and even then it was sort of rare..." she mumbled.

"Hey, it's alright." Pausing the music player, he came to stand at her side, one hand on her shoulder. "You're doing fine. You don't have to be perfect at any of this, it's just for the fun of trying." he assured her. "I suck ass at dancing, but that didn't stop me from trying to impress Mona before I fell down the stairs last week."

She gasped at that, cringing as she placed a hand over her mouth. "Did you really?"

"I landed on my back, right next to a customer. I couldn't tell if Sojiro was pissed at me or trying not to laugh. His face kinda looks the same either way." That didn't lessen the grin on his face though. "But the point is, I had fun. And as you can see, the  _Dancing King_ hasn't retired his crown~ You don't have to chase perfection. Sometime's it's more fun being a jack of all trades, even if you're worse than average at half of-"

"Don't you mean a  _Joker_  of all trades?" she interrupted, a thin smile returning to her lips. When he grinned in response, she gently shrugged off the hand on her shoulder, bringing the microphone back up and tapping it with her fingers. "I suppose you're correct though. I thought awakening with all of you had helped quell my desires to stay in a box, but apparently I still haven't kicked that mindset entirely. It was easier with the arcade because I found I was already fairly good at it, but this is different. I...I'd still like to try though." She took a deep breath, letting courage fill her lungs as she marched back towards the stage, microphone firmly in her grip. "Rewind that, if you wouldn't mind. I'm going to serenade you!"

"Are you now? I'm flattered...~" he purred, looking far too smug as he climbed up and went to reset the music.

Exhaling, she closed her eyes for a moment as the instrumental started again, exhaling in a long, slow breath.  _Don't worry about matching everything. Try to remember what it was like when you were little._

"Ay, iyaiyai..." Peeking her eyes back open, she raised her voice slightly, bringing the microphone closer to her lips. Her heart was still beating faster than she wanted it to, and she was a little breathless, but she persevered, turning to stare at Akira.

"Ay, iyaiyai...Ay, iyaiyai...Where's my samurai?" When he nodded and gave a thumbs up, she found herself smiling back. She still had butterflies in her stomach, but the cheerful beat of the song was infectious, and as it moved into the lines she'd heard so many times on toy phones in her childhood, she found her tone coming out stronger, pacing back and forth every few lines, slowly making her way towards Akira.

"I've been searching for a man, all across Japan! Just to find, to find my samurai!" Ah yes, this  _was_  fun! Just a fun, simple song, and no one to judge her. Just her, and a friend, expanding their horizons together!

"Someone who is strong, but still  _a little shy...~_ " She couldn't help but smirk as she leaned closer, not missing the way Akira's cheeks seemed to redden at that line. This song may be old to both of them, but the lyrics were  almost too fitting, offering amusement in itself.

Giggling, she stepped back a few paces to resume the chorus, only for Akira to follow her and take her free hand. Without missing a beat, he started to twirl her in time to the music, and she found herself a little breathless as she tried to keep up with the words.

"Green, black and blue! Make the colours in the sky!" Those same colours were dancing around them in orbs of light, flashing past their feet and occasionally hitting their eyes as they spun, Akira finally slowing down and untangling from her with a hearty laugh.

"Wait, you should join in! Let's make it a duet!" she called over the blaring music, grinning when he grabbed another microphone.

~~~

And so they kept at it, twirling around each other (and more than once, smacking right into or tripping each other with the grace of a handicapped swan) and belting out the song for an audience of absolutely no one. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this carefree outside of the Metaverse! It was like she was in her own little world, the star among a kaleidoscope of lights. By the time they'd finished the song, they were both panting, but they slid right into picking another song, and another. Some they did more seriously, but many ended up dissolving partway through into attempts to do new voices or otherwise see who could make the other laugh the hardest. But that was more than alright with her...

She wasn't being graded on this. Her performance didn't matter. All that had value was the amount of fun and bonding they had today, and...she would consider that a treasure chest's worth. 

**Author's Note:**

> Is it unrealistic that Akira could rent an entire restaurant for the afternoon? Yes, but when you're ng+ Akira with max charm and a zillion yen in the bank, you can buy ANYTHING. This is purely self indulgent anyways so just let me have it. c':
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please feel free to leave a kudos or a comment, I love to hear from you all! If you'd like to send asks or follow updates about my projects, my tumblr is ursine-enchantment!


End file.
